Contents

History

Jason Macendale Jr. was a former petty crook who eventually became the Hobgoblin, hired as an assassin by Norman Osborn, who developed the Hobgoblin's weapons.

Norman gave Hobgoblin the task of assassinating Wilson Fisk, who was secretly New York's most feared criminal mastermind, the Kingpin. Hobgoblin was initially unaware of this connection. Norman set up the opportunity for Fisk's assassination when the latter was going to open a criminology school in his name, although Hobgoblin's attempt was foiled by the appearance of Spider-Man, causing him to flee. Hobgoblin demanded that Osborn pay him to make a second attempt on Fisk's life, but Osborn refused and fired him.

Hobgoblin was curious as to why Osborn wanted Fisk dead and while snooping around Fisk's building, he was captured and brought before Fisk, who revealed himself as the Kingpin of Crime. The Hobgoblin offered partnership to the Kingpin, and vowed to defeat Osborn, who Hobgoblin revealed as his employer. Kingpin despised hearing this news and Osborn, aligning with the Hobgoblin and sending him to kidnap Harry Osborn.

The new Kingpin of Crime.

When the Kingpin refused to pay Hobgoblin immediately, the partnership ceased and the latter returned to Norman, asking for better weaponry for him to use to take down Fisk. Osborn gave him an improved glider along with more weapons. The Kingpin suspected that Hobgoblin would double-cross him and fled, having the goblin believe that he'd perished. The Hobgoblin subsequently declared himself the new Kingpin of Crime, although Fisk, Osborn, and Spider-Man loosely allied together to defeat Hobgoblin, who escaped after crash-landing in the sea.

The Hobgoblin later discovered Dr. Herbert Landon's plot to exterminate all mutants, with Landon claiming to the public to have discovered a cure for mutancy. The Hobgoblin blackmailed him, threatening to reveal Landon's agenda if he failed to pay him. However, Spider-Man tracked the Hobgoblin down and the latter revealed Landon's agenda. Teaming up with Wolverine, Spider-Man tracked Landon to his lab, where he had Beast captive. The Hobgoblin, meanwhile, hacked a computer at Landon's base containing details of Landon's plot. As Wolverine and Spider-Man tried to save Beast, Hobgoblin joined in the battle and teased Landon, threatening to destroy the disc, resulting in Landon unwitting falling into the vat of chemicals which were intended to destroy mutants, causing him to mutate. With no further chance of profit, the Hobgoblin fled the scene.

The Hobgoblin's identity revealed.

Jason later began dating and later became engaged to Felicia Hardy, who was unaware of Jason's identity as the Hobgoblin. As the Hobgoblin, he tried to get his hands on a portal-creating machine called the Time Dilation Accelerator. Once his identity was revealed to his fiance, he and Felicia were kidnapped by the Green Goblin who stole the Accelerator, and planned to have the two killed in an acid pool. Spider-Man saved Jason and Felicia whose relationship ended. The Hobgoblin was then taken into custody afterwards.

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

The Hobgoblin is a skilled assassin, thief and mercenary.

The Hobgoblin is able to hack computers and devices to a certain extent.

Paraphernalia

Transportation

The Hobgoblin uses a Goblin Glider, which allows him to fly at high speeds through the air. He controls the glider with his feet, but can also use a remote to control the glider from a distance. This glider is relatively light and is easily picked up by him.

In addition to the first glider, Hobgoblin was later given a much larger glider by Osborn. It was able to rise mucher higher and fly much faster than the first.

Weapons

Pumpkin Bombs, which are perhaps the most frequented weapons of the Hobgoblin, are explosives similar to grenades and resemble a Jack-o'-Lantern. When triggered for use, the "stem" ignites and quickly explodes. These are kept in both his glider and satchel. He also possesses Pumpkin Bombs that spew out non-lethal gas.

Smart Bombs, which also resemble a Jack-o'-Lantern on a missile, are powerful explosives launched from the glider and capable of tracking a target.

Small bat-shaped disks with razor sharp edges. They can be launched from the glider, thrown or used as knives to cut through certain materials.

Energy pistols carried in a holster for use when hitting a long range target with precision.

Notes

In the comics, the Green Goblin premiered twenty years before the Hobgoblin. However, in the series, producer John Semper's fired predecessor made the decision to feature the Hobgoblin first, and by the time Semper was brought in Avi Arad had already created a toy line for the Hobgoblin character, meaning that the decision could not be changed.